It was as though fate singled out Bill Barilko for immortality.A poor boy from Northern Ontario who laboured at skating, Barilko, miraculously found himself playing defence on the hockey team of his dreams—the Toronto Maple Leafs. Through five National Hockey League seasons, Barilko emerged as the toast of Toronto, winning four Stanley Cup championships. On April 21, 1951, playing their rivals, the loathed Montreal Canadiens, Bill Barilko scored the overtime goal, winning the Toronto Maple Leafs their seventh Stanley Cup. It was the last game he ever played.Four months later, preparing to return to Toronto for training camp, Barilko made a fateful decision and planned one final fishing trip to a favoured spot on the east side of James Bay. Neither Barilko nor his friend, pilot Dr. Henry Hudson, were heard from again, prompting a massive aerial search. Eleven years later, the remains of both men were discovered in the remnants of their small aircraft, a few miles outside of Cochrane, Ontario.It wasn’t until Barilko’s body was found, that the Leafs again hoisted the Stanley Cup. They won the Cup that same year—1962.Bill Barilko’s life has been celebrated for more than fifty years. The impeccable shot taken by Nat Turofsky is the most requested photograph in the archives of the Hockey Hall of Fame. The Toronto Star selected Barilko’s Stanley Cup-winning goal as one of the top three sporting moments in Toronto history in December 2003, the National Post called Barilko’s 1950-51 Leaf team the best Toronto hockey team of all time. The Tragically Hip has even celebrated Bill Barilko’s legend in their song, “Fifty Mission Cap.”Barilko: Without a Trace chronicles the extraordinary story of this immensely popular athlete and includes a new chapter on the rediscovered crash site. Teammates Ted Kennedy, Allan Stanley, Gus Mortson and Howie Meeker are among those who share stories of their sporting life with Bill. Childhood friends and his grieving girlfriend explain the Bill we didn’t read about. Those involved in both the search and discovery tell their amazing tales. And the entire story is lovingly woven together through the immaculate memories of Bill’s sister, Anne.

The quarter century comprising the "Original Six" years of the National Hockey League is often fondly discussed by the sport's scholarly fans. However, one surprisingly underappreciated jewel from that era is the 1951 Stanley Cup final series between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Montreal Canadiens. It provided something never seen before in the history of the NHL and has not been seen since: every one of the five games required a dramatic sudden-death overtime period to determine a winner. This book takes an in-depth look at this exciting conclusion to the 1950-51 NHL season, as well as an examination of the two playoff semifinal series, and a general overview of the goings-on from the 210-game regular season featuring many amusing anecdotes. As an added bonus, a special chapter discusses the short life, baffling disappearance, and untimely death of Toronto defenseman Bill Barilko just four months after he notched the Cup-winning tally in April. Also examined is the recent controversy about who really possesses the historic puck with which Barilko scored his famous goal.

For the NHL's 100th season, a fan-friendly, argument starter of a book, compiling the 100 most impactful moments in league history. From ostentatious scoring totals to unstoppable teams destined for championships, the NHL boasts a history of greatness. But as die-hard fans well know, greatness isn't the whole story. In this image-rich, licenced celebration of the NHL's past and present, veteran hockey journalist Scott Morrison mines a century of NHL hockey to find the game's 100 most important moments. From Bobby Orr's 1969-70 trophy haul, to Detroit coach Scotty Bowman's unprecedented icing of five Russians at once on the Red Wings' way to their first of several Stanley Cups, the Stastny brothers' defection, and Roger Neilson reviewing a game on VHS, these moments weren't always the photogenic peaks of athletic glory that graced the morning news, but each of them changed the game.

As engaging as the great game itself, the stories behind the National Hockey League are entertaining, fascinating and, at times, unbelievable. Faux facts emerge from urban legends, conspiracy theories and coincidences, leaving sports fans to debate truth and fiction in the world of hockey trivia. Few are better qualified to both debunk falsehoods and nail down amazing facts than TSN stats archaeologist Kevin Gibson, whose book Of Myths and Sticks blows the whistle on all hockey matters from the mainstream to the obscure. What was the date of the first NHL game? Who scored the first goal and which team won? Did Gordie Howe ever actually have a Gordie Howe hat trick? Gibson offers definitive answers to these fundamental questions, but also contributes fascinating background nobody else thought to ask about, such as game-time weather, contract disputes and the flu epidemic that claimed the lives of two players and cancelled the 1919 Stanley Cup Final. Gibson scores laughs with true facts from between the posts, noting that legendary Canadiens goalie Georges Vezina sired 24 children (“he was known for saves on the ice and scoring off”), and that the Quebec Bulldogs’ shameful record of 4–20 may have been due, in part, to the worst nickname ever for a goaltender (“Holes”). The myth of the Original Six is down-sized to the Original One, as Gibson points out that the Montreal Canadiens is the only team to have been around at the start of the NHL and to have retained their original team name. Other highlights include hall-of-famers, hall-of-shamers and an extensive “On This Date” chapter that highlights 366 trivia-worthy moments from 95 years of hockey history. Combining extensive research, humor and keen curiosity, Of Myths and Sticks is hockey’s version of MythBusters—what’s true, what’s not, and how can we make finding out almost as entertaining as watching the game.

"Since its construction in 1931, the Maple Leaf Gardens had seen its share of powerful, memorable moments and held its share of championship glory. But there was something different about this evening of May 2, 1967." This book will be especially facinating for readers interested in hockey or sports. The Toronto Maple Leafs is one of Canada's greatest franchises. From their humble beginnings in the 1920s, to their remarkable Stanley Cup victories of the 1940s and 1960s, to their teambuilding challenges of the 1990s and beyond, the Leafs have a history packed with exhilarating accomplishments and devastating setbacks. This is their story -- the incredible story of a beloved Canadian institution.

Come and walk the offbeat world of Mike Strobels popular column in the Toronto Sun. Meet the legendary panhandler Shaky Lady; the Weasel, who knows where Jimmy Hoffa is buried; the secretive swinger Sexy Boots; the notorious Bicycle Bandit, who quit robbing banks, got a loan, and opened a bar; and Dr. Hook, the top doc whose professional fate rested on the cut of his jib. Youll also get a look at a fake orgasm champ, a practising witch turned beauty pageant queen, a boss cannonballer, and assorted other heroes, rogues, athletes, finks, politicos, celebrities, bureaucrats, sons, and lovers. Each column in this collection is a mini-world, tight and bright. Youll smile at Strobels take on the fads, fashions, morals, and hot topics of the day. Even the most serious issues are dissected and dispatched with often biting wit and cheek. (Warning: If youre a Montreal Canadiens fan, do not read this book.)

High on the Big Stone Heart is a collection of vibrant and entertaining essays on the people and places of Canada’s Boreal North as seen through the eyes of one of the country’s most celebrated writers of non-fiction. Accompany Charles Wilkins as he ranges across the wilds of northern Quebec; ventures deep into the subarctic Yukon in search of caribou; and tracks the north coast of Lake Superior, the world’s most elegant and mysterious body of fresh water. Meet Murray Monk, trapper extraordinaire, and Barney Giesler, the king of the wooden boat builders. Trace the route of the Toronto Maple Leafs’ Bill Barilko, star of the 1951 Stanley Cup Final, on his last and fatal fishing trip to James Bay. Join Maurice "Rocket" Richard on the backwoods adventures that sustained him throughout his troubled career. Follow Wilkins himself as he embarks on a wilderness survival test with nothing but the clothes on his back. This is a book for anyone drawn to the magic of the North, and by the characters who inhabit that epic terrain.